Just In: FIA announce penalty verdict for….read more

FIA clears Leclerc after late-race clash with Albon at Imola

The FIA has wrapped up its investigation into Charles Leclerc’s bruising scrap with Alex Albon in the dying laps of the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, deciding that the Ferrari driver will face no penalty. The stewards’ verdict, handed down late Sunday evening, labels the contact between the pair “a racing incident,” meaning Leclerc keeps his fourth-place finish and the hard-earned points that come with it.

With only a handful of laps to run around the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, tension crackled over the radios. Albon, enjoying one of Williams’ strongest weekends of the year, had sized up the scarlet Ferrari for several corners and finally launched his attack along the outside line into the fast left-hander at Piratella. Leclerc, equally determined to defend, held the inside and the two cars brushed wheels. The slight contact tipped Albon into the gravel; though he skilfully kept the FW47a out of the barriers and back onto the asphalt, the off-track excursion cost him several seconds and a likely top-five result. Lewis Hamilton—Ferrari’s new recruit this season—slipped past to steal fifth, while Albon fell further as the field streamed by.

Race control announced an immediate review, and teams braced for a decision that could swing the championship arithmetic. Overnight, the stewards poured over every angle of onboard footage, throttle and brake traces, GPS overlays, and transcribed team radio. Their four-page report concluded that neither driver was “wholly or predominantly to blame.” In other words, the gloves were on, both drivers strayed to the limit, but no one over-stepped it.

“The move was forceful, but it stayed within the bounds of fair competition,” the FIA statement read. “Both cars had room at the point of initial overlap; the subsequent loss of control for Car 23 (Albon) stemmed from cumulative factors rather than any single reckless maneuver by Car 16 (Leclerc). Accordingly, no further action will be taken.”

Leclerc, speaking to media in Ferrari’s hospitality unit minutes after the green light, sounded relieved yet unapologetic. “That was edge-of-the-seat racing,” he said. “Alex went for it, I defended hard but clean. When you’re fighting over tenths of a second at Imola, this can happen. I’m glad the officials saw it the same way.”

Williams, while disappointed, accepted the ruling gracefully. A team representative praised Albon’s composed drive and hinted the result was nonetheless encouraging for Grove’s upward trajectory. “It stings to lose those points, but the pace was real—our data proves it,” the spokesperson noted. “We’ll regroup and come back stronger in Monaco.”

The paddock’s pundit class is split. Some believe Leclerc edged beyond robust defense and into the realm of squeezing; others point out that Albon chose the riskier outside route and accepted the peril. Social media, predictably, is awash with frame-by-frame analyses and heated debate.

For Ferrari, the decision locks in a valuable haul: 12 points for fourth plus 10 for Hamilton’s fifth keeps the Scuderia firmly in the constructors’ hunt with Red Bull and Mercedes. For Albon, the race is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can pivot in F1’s high-stakes arena—but also a testament to Williams’ resurgence as regular top-ten contenders.

Attention now turns to the tight streets of Monte Carlo in two weeks’ time. Expect Leclerc, buoyed by a home-race crowd and the confidence of a cleared name, to push even harder. Expect Albon to arrive with unfinished business. And expect the stewards to keep a watchful eye—because if Imola taught us anything, it’s that the 2025 season’s fight for every point is only just beginning.